Dragon cross country runners qualify for state meet

Dragon cross country runners qualify for state meet

Lake Orion takes second at regional meet

By Jim Newell
Managing Editor
jnewell@mihomepaper.com
Clarkston — The Lake Orion High School boys cross country team is heading to the MHSAA Division 1 State Finals as a team after finishing second at the MHSAA Region 8 meet on Oct. 25 at Clintonwood Park in Clarkston.
The Dragons qualified as a team for the MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 Finals on Nov. 2 at the Michigan International Speedway. While individuals may qualify for the state finals based on their regional times, for a team to qualify it must finish in the top three in regionals.
“It was a perfect day for a cross country meet at Clintonwood Park in Clarkston. After finishing in 4th place at the OAA League meet the week before, the boys knew that we still had more to give to the course. The course is flat and fast, and this requires top effort,” said boys varsity head coach Andrew McDonald. “The MHSAA regional meet is difficult. The pressure is on each team at the meet to qualify and only the top three teams out of 14 make it.”
The Dragons were predicted to finish in fifth place, McDonald said.
Seniors Blake Peardon and Raymond Lucero II and junior Max Houvener went to the front of the race to lead the way for the rest of the team.
“It was a very competitive race going into the final mile and the Dragons were up to the challenge,” McDonald said.
As the runners ran the last 400 meters, the Dragon runners pulled ahead of several fading runners from other schools and saw Blake Peardon taking 6th place in 15:53 minutes, Max Houvener finishing in 8th place 15:56 minutes and Raymond Lucero II in 12th place at 16 minutes.
Freshman Ricardo Guajardo finished in 16:43 for 23rd place; junior Alex Skakal finished in 16:52 for 26th place; senior Trevor Meldrum was 69th at 18:08; and freshman Aiden McDonald ran 18:38 for 82nd place to complete the varsity scoring.
The team set six personal bests times on the season and took second place with 75 points and qualified for the MHSAA State Finals. Blake Peardon, Max Houvener, and Raymond Lucero II were named All Region for their efforts, McDonald said.
“I am very proud of their efforts; a team goal this season was to qualify for the state finals and the mission was accomplished. Each member of this team contributed to the success on Friday. It was such a proud moment to see all team members throughout the course, cheering on their teammates to success,” McDonald said.

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